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The Maryland Court of Appeals begins an opinion with a quote from Machiavelli. Noting that he had suffered the rack for his support as a public official for an administration that had been replaced, the court "considers what has changed since Machiavelli's time" in connection with a lawsuit brought by discharged employees of the Caroline County States Attorney's office for their support of the losing incumbent. One of employees who had filed suit was the coordinator of the victim witness unit of the office; the other had served in that position and been promoted to senior district court coordinator.

The court's 82-page opinion concludes that key factual disputes remain unresolved. The matter is remanded to the Court of Special Appeals with further instructions for remand to the trial court. The holdings are sufficiently complex as to require the court to append a chart setting out the results. (Mike Frisch)